The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-07-21
NATIONAL POLITICS.
A Spirited Interview With
Spirited Man.
Congressman Grain Talks on the
Political -Cleve-
land Will be he
nominated.

Grain, representative III congress from the
Galveston district, knows that he is o
straight democrat, and talks democracy
right from the shoulder. A STATESMAN
reporter tackled him on Monday, and got
the following from him on the national
outlook. The reporter opened his battery
by asking:
"When DID you leave Washington"
81 left ON the Goth of last month"
"Whst is your opinion of the flag
business, and the presidents course in
the matterr
"Ihe presidents motives were good, and
his course would probably have met with
the approval of even the Grand Army
fanatics had he no. vetoed the general
dependent pension bill. When he dis
covered that his action was in violation of
law, think he did right To rescind his Or
der. II would have teen better had he
consulted the attorney general in advance,
particularly on account of the Grand
Army action in regard to his st. Louis
trip?r
HAS Mr. Cleveland made enemies or
friends for himself by his course in the
matters"
81 don't think he has done either. He
tical element to give vent to their spite
against him."
do you think his declination of the III
vitation to st. Louis will enter into the
next campaign; that is, will the Grand
Army of the Republic have influence
enough to raise the bloody shirt again on
the basis of this circumstance
"The bloody shirt will doubtless be
waved, and of course, the flag incident
will be seized upon as a pretext; but it
will not, in my opinion, have much weight
with the people,"
"What are the probabilities as to the
next democratic national conventionW
IF the president lives the probabilities
now are that he will be renominated by
reclamation. failure to renominate him
would be construed to mean dissutisfac-
ton with his administration by his own
party"
"Do you think that Mr.. Cleveland's
administration has served to solidify the
party?"
"The democratic party was solidiied
when he was elected"
Glow will Mr.. Clevelands views on
civil service and the silver question OPP
crate among western democratsY"
"They will not have any effect. The
silver question is at present eliminated
from politics. The result has demon
strated that the approximations of the ex-
tremists on both sides were not well
founded. AS long as the = vil-service law
stands unrepealed, his dut, is to enforce
it,"
"What will be the position Of the demo-
cratic party in the next congress on the
tariff question:
81 think there will be IA compromise be-
tween the Randall and Carlisle wings,
which will both flap together and that
the tariff question will not be an issue In
the next presidential canvass, but that the
republicans will make prohibition ma
tional issue, for with the tariff question
eliminated, there will be nothing left for
them but prohibition"
"What legislation do you consider
should be pressed by the party IN the next
| congress?"
"The pledges of the democratic party
about revenue reform should be redeemed,
aud an amendment ought to be submitted
to the states providing for a change of the
time for the meeting OF congress from
December to January next succeeding
each election, so that each house would be
fresh from the people, instead of meeting
thirteen months after the election of it's
members. This would give two long SEES
sions, and would obviate the necessity of
extra sessions.
"What effect will the legislation that
congress will make, have on the next
national conventions. mean TO ask, If
it will be governed in any degree by the
present administration ON the democratic
side, and by the influence of any republi-
can candidate on that side of the house."
"Without knowing what the legislation
of congress will be | cannot attempt to
predict what effect it will have on the next
conventions. AS all revenue bills must
originate in the house, which is demo
cratic, 1 don't see how any republican
candidate can avail himself of the tariff
question unless, perhaps, senator Sher-
man should make a tariff speech in the
senate outlining the policy of the Iepub-
licans. / don't believe that the admins
tration will indicate policy for the
democrats, as its efforts in that direction
heretofore have not been very successful
"Will Mr.. Carlisle be the next speaker,
think your"
81 think ne will have no opposition"
"Then what show will that give him of
advancing his interests as a presidential
candidateW
IL do not think he has any presidential
aspirations at present"
ain the formation of the appropriations
committee will Mr.. Randall receive his
usual position; IL so, what effect will his
tariff ideas have or the formation OF
democfatic revenue legislation"
"Upon the hypothesis that Mr.. Carlisle
will succeed himself, cannot say what
he will do in regard to the formation of
the appropriations committee, as he does
not announce his committees until after
the holidays. As the ways and means com
mittee acts upon revenue bills, don't see
how Mr.. RandalPs appointment upon the
appropriations committee could affect
revenue legislation"
"Doesn't Mr.. Randall's position on the
appropriations committee give him a
pretty good swing at the ways and means
committee in the matter of revenuel"
"The duty OF the appropriation com
mittee is to appropriate the necessary
amount to carry on the government, and
of course, if that committee were to be
extravagant in the appropriations, the
ways and means committee would have TO
supply the funds. This extravaganza,
however, is unlikely TO happen, because,
first, Mr.. Randall is not the entire com
mittee; second, he is an economist, and
third, the house acts finally upon the